Bingo is one of the oldest forms of gambling which dates back around 500 years. It is said that the game originates from Italy. It was picked up in France and then found its way to the UK after that. When it began, it was more like a lotto game rather than the game we all know and love today. It wasn't until the game was played in France that it started to evolve and resemble a similar game to the one we know now. In the 18th century, it had become a booming popular game in Britain, played all across the country. However, it didn't pick up the name 'bingo' until it made its way over to the US in the early 1900s. Bizarrely its popularity grew during the war supposedly because there was very little else to do to pass the time.
Fastforward a good few years, and we come into the online era. In the '90s, everything was going digital, and bingo was no exception. The first online bingo website was launched in 1996, called Cyber Bingo. It took several years to properly take off, as bingo had always been a social game. Therefore, many people believed that it would never work being based on the internet. Bingo was also more popular with the older generation that didn't perhaps use technology at the time, which was another stumbling block. However, as chat rooms evolved and all ages began to learn to use technology, the online bingo industry boomed. In 2013 it took another significant step forward when the game moved into the mobile gaming market. Now players could have access to play bingo games anywhere and at any time. The revenue has increased in the market year upon year ever since. However, the bingo halls did not lay down without a fight. They adapted bingo nights by adding themed nights, restaurants and music to attract a younger crowd, which has worked. The game bingo itself has also adapted to become more of a social game once more, with the numbers being replaced by song titles or movie names.
Bingo has also become a game that can help with your memory and lower the risk of mental illness. Researchers have found that playing bingo can be good for your health, especially for the elderly. Playing bingo takes a degree of concentration, which improves your listening and makes your brain much sharper and alert. It improves your memory because as you hear the number being called out or displayed, you have to locate the number on your card and mark it off. This means that your brain is doing two things at once and working harder than perhaps it normally would. This, of course, is known as exercising your brain, which is good for everybody. It's almost like when you were a child, and you were asked to pat the top of your head and rub your stomach simultaneously; this works on the same principles. A study at the University of Southampton found that people who played bingo were better at speed and memory tests. It was also found that it can help your hand and eye co-ordination too as some callers are extremely fast. You have to be quick in the process of hearing the number and then marking it off in time to be ready to listen to the very next number. The repetitive nature of the game helps your brain's memory muscles too. When you were a child and did something, your teacher asked you to do precisely the same thing again. You probably thought this was pointless at the time, but it is an excellent exercise to help train your brain. Just ask any young Teletubbies fan. They will confirm this as specific segments of the show are repeated to support your toddler's brain development.
Also, reverting to the social aspect of the game this also can help with your well-being. Now that the game has become more sociable online, there are no restrictions to stop anyone from playing a game while chatting to friends. Online platforms have also adapted their game rooms to feature different themes to help bring people of the same interest together. Whether that's through your favourite television soaps, political views, or even online dating - yes, that's right, you can even get to know someone on a more romantic level through playing bingo.
The last reason and perhaps the most important one to many are that you can win plenty of money. This can often come at the expense of very little, especially when playing online. Some online websites link Wink Bingo have games for as little as 5p per card, but you can still win plenty big. There are also ever-increasing jackpots to be won. A British man won the biggest single win by the name of John Orchard. John was an ordinary, everyday factory worker, but in 2021, his life changed forever. He played a single game of online bingo at the cost of 30p, and he scooped almost £6 million!
If your ears have perked up slightly and you're new to the game of bingo, the rules are straightforward. While they can vary occasionally, the consensus is the numbers are called out, and you cross them off on your card accordingly. The caller will tell you what the aim of that particular game is before you begin playing. It could be anything from completing one line, two lines, a full house (completing all the numbers on the card), or even quirky games like four corners.
To conclude, bingo is a simple game to play that can cost very little, you can win huge sums of money, and it's good for your health. So, what are you waiting for? Get down to your local bingo hall or go online to the many different websites available, just like Wink Bingo. They offer thousands of games daily and fantastic prizes.
